"Book, Chapter, And Verse, Please."
Does the New Testament teach that when a child of God sins (publicly), he must make a public confession of his sins before the church assembled, and ask the congregation's forgiveness and prayers, or he cannot be forgiven? "Book, chapter, and verse, please."
I am not asking for somebody to reason with me, and say, "When a child of God sins so as to bring reproach upon the church, he must come up publicly and confess that sin before the congregation." Please: "book, chapter, and verse!"
When we list adultery, fornication, drunkenness, why do we omit extortion, fraud, covetousness, publicly transacted shady deals, etc.? And are not the sins of disobedience (the things that God commands that we do not obey) as public (sometimes) as drunkenness? More public than adultery, etc.?
Do Acts 8:14-24, James 5:14-20. 1 John 1:9, etc., teach that the sinner must make a public confession and ask the prayers of the saints? Frankly, I do not see this "must" in these or any other passages known to me (and I'm speaking about confession, etc., before the whole congregation, assembled).
Perhaps, there are Scriptures of which I know nothing, that clearly teach this thing that is often practiced along with exhorting alien sinners to obey the gospel (Acts 2: 40). If you know of such a Scripture, will you please tell me about it? I want to preach and practice "the teaching of Christ," so that I shall have both the Father and the Son: 2 John 9-11. But I insist upon speaking as the oracles of God: 1 Peter 4:11!